What the World Needs Right Now

Photo by myself before the Fuerzabruta show in Union Square.

The audience was bathed in red light before the performance. Music thumped and we were left to look about, chit chat or display affection publicly.

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Last weekend, Mark and I visited the Boston Terrier puppy we intend to adopt. He is really, really adorable.

He's only a couple months old now, and we'll be bringing him home for good in mid-October. Right now we're facing the name dilemma.

We've been kicking around a lot of options and have narrowed it down to Rupert, Wyatt or Virgil, although other names keep popping up. I prefer more flamboyant names like Enrique, Pepe and Roberto.

We've considered Wendell, Lionel, Ziggy, Brutus and Reggie. There's Amos and Maurice and Newman and Steve. Suggestions welcomed for names!

I love all animals, and have an immense guilt complex about animals out there in shelters or without homes. I hate to single out any one...but this little face is absolutely adorable, no?







With the climate these days both economic and environmental, what the world needs are more puppies and hugs.

(Above puppy photos by Mark).

Related posts: Fuerzabruta, Now Thrilling Union Square, Sharing A Moment, Keeping Your Dogs in a Row, and Our Four-Legged Friends.

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Docked Along the West Side

Photo by myself near the West Side Highway, near 14th Street. Out of frame to the right is a giant building called the Chelsea Piers, which houses tennis courts, a bowling alley, and all sorts of sports arenas.

There are numerous piers along the edges of Manhattan, where boats can dock. Here, you can see New Jersey along the opposite bank of the Hudson River.

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Maybe this is an urban myth, but I heard that if you lived on a boat in New York, you were exempt from paying certain taxes.

City tax, perhaps? I'm not sure. I guess the rationale was that you weren't taking up land.

Whatever the case, there are intrepid folks who live on these boats, which are docked along the perimeter of Manhattan. There's a dock near 79th Street on the west side, near where I used to live. From what I could tell, the same houseboats stay there year after year, winters included.

The contractor I'm working with lives on a boat, and used to have a boat-building company. After finishing an intense project, he sets sail on a several month trip.

I'll have to ask him about his taxes.

Related posts: It's That Time of Year Again, Urban Legends and The Cost of Living Here.

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Meatpacking District in Black and White

Photo by myself in the meat packing district, around 14th Street and 10th Avenue. A visitor across the way consults a map.

There are many portions of New York that still have cobblestones on the street. A durable material that looks great, it's a little tough on high heels.

This area is known for pricey clothing stores and trendy restaurants that stay open until very late. Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen are among the designers who have their boutiques here.

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It's not hard to imagine meatpacking district looked like in pre-industrial times, with horse drawn wagons and garbage in the streets.

Though touristy in its own expensive way, this is one of the few neighborhoods in Manhattan that doesn't have a couple Starbucks!

Related posts: Confronting Reality on TV, Times Square, NYC, and Lost In A Crowd.

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Not A Bad View From Here

Photo by myself of lower Manhattan, from the Brooklyn Promenade.

As a thing, New York is pretty neat to look at.

Despite the perks of living in New York, I know a few people leaving the city soon.

One, an ex-coworker, is looking to move out West. One of Mark's friends is moving to Maine, to pursue a healthier lifestyle and put money toward a house.

Today I learned that a friend of a friend just lost her job. She's in law and she's expecting, and may have to sell her apartment.

Not to say there's a mass exodus going on from New York. People come and go all the time.

This place, it is always changing.

Related posts: Different Vistas, From The East Bank and The Cost of Living Here.

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Italian Ice, East Village

Photo by myself in the East Village, around 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

This fellow quite enjoyed being in my viewfinder.

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It's getting to be too late in the season to have Italian ice. New York is going through an early cold spell. Brisk winds are sending everyone into their Fall wardrobe.

Brrrr!

Happy Friday, everyone.

Related posts: Shopping on St. Mark's Place, Tempting Fate, and I Scream, You Scream.

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Policing the Subway, Midtown

Photo by myself in Midtown, around 34th Street and 6th Avenue.

There was something going on outside the subway, Wednesday. There were police, a police dog, flack jackets and very large guns.

When I encounter such groups, I'm not sure whether to feel more or less safe.

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I really enjoy taking photos of the NYPD.

They're always in uniform, and the uniforms are dark, which means that they cut a strong, photogenic silhouette.

You'd think it's hard to look good in pants and a bulletproof vest, but these folks generally do a great job.

Related posts: NYPD Blues, Polic e Line, Do Not Cross, My First Run In With the NYPD, Code Yellow

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Wednesday Portraits - The New York Times

Photo by myself in Midtown, around 34th Street and 6th Avenue.

A fellow had fallen sleep sitting up, while the world walked by on the sidewalk. FOr some reason, everyone seemed to be wearing jeans.

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A while back I started posting about other New York blogs on Wednesdays, in a series I called Wednesday Portraits.

It was a noble cause, but a silly one, mainly because I had a hard time finding other New York sites that posted reliably.

I've since found the best source for a blog overview, none other than The New York Times. The Times has a whole section online devoted to regional news and New York blogs.

Recently, this blog made it to Times' blogroll, as well as to the blog highlights page, Blogtalk. Blogtalk is a daily newswire of sorts, listing interesting tidbits culled from blogs around the city.

There are over 100 blogs listed, and they're categorized by genre - People and Neighborhoods, News, General Interest, Politics.

It's pretty incredible to think that such an institution as the New York Times would put its ear to the ground, reading blogs, but they do.

Check it out.

Wednesday Portraits is an ongoing, not-at-all regular installment featuring other New York blogs.

Related posts: Climbing The Times, Wednesday Portraits - Central Park Nature News, Wednesday Portraits - My Open Wallet, Wednesday Portraits - Ruvym's Rant, Wednesday Portraits - Mihow.

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A Moment Alone in the East Village

Photo by myself in the East Village, around 2nd Avenue and 10th Street.

This fellow heard me sneaking up on him (drat!). He looked to be on a short break from work.

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In the mornings, the headline news flits on the LCD screen in the elevator - celebrity gossip, weather, word of the day, stock market.

All the elevators in the city with LCD screens are connected to the same feed. So you can get out of one elevator and into another without missing a beat. I bet the bike messengers have this unsettling experience as they go from building to building.

For the couple minutes that you're in the elevator, standing on top of perfect strangers, the LCD screen is a welcome distraction.

It's like looking over the shoulder of a fellow passenger in the subway - you can focus on their New York Post instead of the guy in front of you, behind you and to the sides.

Space to yourself is a real luxury here. Enjoy it when you can.


Related posts: Transit For The Masses, A New York Frame Of Mind and On Living In A Petri Dish.

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Shopping on St. Mark's Place

Photo by myself on St. Mark's Place in the East Village.

This block is well-known for its characters and sights. You can get pierced, tatooed, fed and outfitted.

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I was walking around this street Saturday, just after noon. Many of the stores were still closed up, their metal doors rolled down.

There are tons of bars and music venues in this area. It is decidedly grungy.

You'll find chalkboard signs outside bearing a whole list of bands, many of them young and emerging. People hang out on the sidewalks until the very early hours, smoking, chatting, drinking and just hanging out.

Related posts: Shtuff , and Tis The Season.

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On The Sidewalk, Chinatown

Photo by myself in Chinatown near the Manhattan Bridge.

A man listens to music while keeping an eye on pedestrian traffic.

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I shot the above photo from the passenger seat of the car Saturday morning. Mark and I made a trip into the East Village for some errands and lunch.

The sidewalks were crowded with people. In the space of thirty minutes, I encountered two large tour groups around St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue.

I imagine things will settle down as the weather gets colder. Until then, we'll have learn how to share the sidewalks.

Related posts: A View From The Streets, On A Public Mugging Or A Gimmick Gone Wrong and Lost In A Crowd.

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Dusk Among Towers

Photo by myself, on Park Avenue around 53rd Street.

I'm sure many people think of scenes like this when they think of New York City - many, many tall buildings.

Most of the offices in this area I believe are financial. Maybe there's an advertising agency behind some of those panes of glass, too?

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The economic climate is making my industry shudder.

Architecture and construction typically lags behind everything else. When the market goes down, future projects are put on hold. Current projects, however, usually have enough funds to keep going to the finish. A half-finished building is no use to anyone.

I've been hearing of layoffs at other architectural firms, and large projects that have fallen through. Lots of people in finance find they can no longer afford to build their dream homes, and abandon the project until better times.

Where does that leave us architects? Shaking in our shoes, I guess, and putting in overtime on projects we have.

I find something reassuring in the above photo - all those tall buildings aren't going anywhere. They may change hands, they may sit half-empty. But these guys are here to stay.

Related posts: How The Other Half Lives and Among Beautiful Things.

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New Yawk Tawk

Photo by myself, somewhere in Brooklyn.

Who says New Yorkers aren't direct?!

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For the most part, I find there are two types of New Yorkers.

There are those that mind their own business - you could be lost, map in hand, twirling about, and they just walk by. And there are those that don't mind their own business - you could be lost, and they come over to you, offering opinions about your choice of clothing.

You gotta love it.

Happy Friday everyone!

Related posts: Talking About The Weather, A Call For Help and Drawing The Line.

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Society's Trash

Photo by myself in Penn Station.

A homeless man seeks out a hint of privacy and shut eye.

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I cannot imagine living on the streets. I bet you're always hungry, thirsty and tired, no matter what you do.

My days have been rather repetitive lately, since I've been busy, but I've noticed homeless people on all the streets I'm on.

Maybe it's just those particular streets? There is always the guy sitting on one corner with one leg, his amputated stump exposed. There is always the man in the subway station with large pieces of luggage stuffed full.

It's rather depressing. The longer I take photos, the more I notice of the homeless. It's a problem that will not go away.

Related posts: Life In High Contrast, Castaways, Down And Out In Soho and Life In High Contrast

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Queuing Up At Grand Central Terminal

Photo by myself on Park Avenue around 40th Street.

Park Avenue becomes elevated and wraps around Grand Central Terminal, which makes for a cool ride. Cabs making the journey uptown, were piled up in traffic.

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Once again, tickets have gone on sale for The New Yorker Festival, showcasing the writers, thinkers, movers and shakers of today from Oct. 3rd to Oct 5th.

Among the many participants this year are Clint Eastwood, Malcolm Gladwell, Ethan Hawke, Stephen Colbert and Salman Rushdie. Mark and I have gone in past years, and we've seen Steve Martin, Malcolm Gladwell, (the late) Richard Avedon and David Byrne, in mesmerizing talks and interviews.

Steve Martin broke out his banjo of course, alongside other bluegrass players. David Byrne played his acoustic guitar in the intimacy of the Knitting Factory and spoke honestly about his career.

Get your tickets while you can. The more popular venues may already be sold out.

For the schedule of New Yorker Festival events, click here.

Related posts: What Goes Around Comes Around, Come And Get It and Transit For The Masses.

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Working It

Photo by myself of a pedicab driver in Central Park.

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Mark thought I've been posting too many pedicab drivers. But I love these guys. They seem Old World to me, like the gondola drivers in Venice.

My boyfriend Mark expects to be working again Monday night until 3 am (!).

I'm sure it varies according to where you live, but New Yorkers tend to work a lot.

My first job in New York was with a large office, where we worked routinely until 9 or 10 every night.

There were social pressures to stay late, even if there wasn't an immediate emergency. One coworker had tickets to a Knicks playoffs game and had to come into the office after the game was over.

I'd forget to pay my credit card balances. I'd forget to get my hair cut. I'd get to the office, work through dinner, catch a cab home, and do it again the next day. It was awful. I never went to the gym, and I was too tired to socialize.

After a few months, I left that job. It was time to start living.

Related posts: How's About A Ride?, Kicking Back on Firm Ground, and Blah Blah Blah, Work, Blah Blah Blah.

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NYPD Blues

Photo by myself of the NYPD on the Upper West Side.

These fellas look rather serious in their uniforms, but there was no danger in sight.

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I've been digging into the stash for photos lately; the weather wasn't so good this weekend, and both Mark and I had to go into the office.

Mark is working on a big sales pitch due out next week. It's 11:45 pm on a Sunday night, and he's still in the editing room.

Poor thing.

Related posts: Polic e Line, Do Not Cross, My First Run In With the NYPD, Code Yellow

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Life At the Time & Life Building, Midtown

Photo by myself around 54th Street and Sixth Avenue.

A couple stood together, looking intently into the distance.

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Looking back at the last few days, it looks like I've been taking photos of a lot of peoples' backs lately.

The 'Life' in the above photo is a part of the sign for the 'Time & Life' Building, one of buildings that form Rockefeller Center, in Midtown. It was named for Time and Life magazines, which originally occupied 21 floors in the building.

I'm very rarely in this neighborhood, though I work 20 blocks away. This area is very 'business-y' and 'hard' to me, and probably represents New York to many people - tall buildings, workers dressed for success, movers and shakers.

Related posts: Building For a Greener Environment.

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No Hair At The West 4th Courts

Photo by myself, at the basketball courts at West 4th Street, in The Village.

A group of onlookers during a serious basketball game a while back. There was hardly any room on the sidewalk to get by.

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While reviewing this photo, Mark made a comment about how glossy the heads were. I didn't realize I'd taken a photo of so many bald guys.

Mark shaves his head and considers himself bald. The do-it-yourself hair care is good and bad. Good in that you never have to pay for a haircut, and bad in that you have to shave your head every few days.

I always get called over for the inspection.

'Is it okay? How does it look?' I weave and bob, looking for abnormalities. But what does he expect? An errant ponytail?

(I am so glad I'm a girl!)

Related posts: Tomorrow's New York Giants and On The Superbowl and Fancy Living.

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Seven Years Ago

Photo by myself around 6th Avenue and 34th Street.

Not exactly Baby Bjorn, this baby backpack looks authentic.

The fabric had some nice embroidery to it in reds and greens. The rest of the photo was a mess of colors - purplish grey asphalt, the dingy bricks and maroon overhangs of the restaurant across the street.

It looked best in monochrome.

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Posting a day ahead of time, I didn't realize it was September 11th once again.

Yesterday on the job site, the contractor for the job I'm working on asked me whether I'd been in New York seven years ago.

We traded stories that were similar to other stories I've heard. They were brief stories about how fearful that day had been, not knowing what was going on, whether it had just been an accident, realizing it was no accident, then wondering what was next.

The contractor had been working on a renovation in Brooklyn. Standing on a rooftop, he saw everything.

I was working on lower Fifth Avenue, where you can see straight downtown. I saw plumes of smoke, and heard snippets of the news blaring on car radios outside. It was chaotic yet deathly silent.

Anyway, I don't want to dwell on the tragedy because part of me still cannot believe it happened. But then, I couldn't write nothing at all.

Related posts: Six Years Ago and Code Yellow.

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Subway Sunset - On the Ride Home

Photo by myself, as the N train crossed the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn.

It was a spectacular sunset Wednesday. Hardened New Yorkers, tired from work, cannot help but swing around for a look.

You can see lights on the Brooklyn Bridge in the background, and graffiti scratched on the glass.

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It's slowly getting darker earlier.

On the ride home, usually between 7 and 8, I can catch a glimmer of the night sky out the subway window.

Often people flip their cell phones open during this time, making a quick call or text message, before the subway submerges again into darkness.

Or people take the time to nap and miss everything.





Related posts: The Trains Are Hopping, Tempting Fate and Au Secours.

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Window Dressing At The Little Pie

Photo by myself at The Little Pie Company, at 9th Avenue and 43rd Street.

This little establishment sells pies, cakes and cupcakes to the public and restaurants.

I heard that it all started when an unemployed actor pedaled his apple pie to a neighborhood restaurant (the store is located in the theater district). An order was placed and business began. That was 20 years ago.

Now around Thanksgiving, people line the street for apple, blueberry and cherry pies. They make key lime pie, carrot cake and German chocolate cake, too.

I once passed by around Thanksgiving and thought it was a picket line!

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I used to work near the above Little Pie Company. For birthdays, the office would order a couple of their delicious cakes or pies. I have nothing but fond memories of their desserts.

Mark and I visited with his Mom on Sunday, to celebrate her birthday. We had some mini-pies and cakes. It brought back memories.

You can order their delicious goods online, here.

Related posts: Much More on Food, Food Glorious Food and On Japanese Food and Fish.

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Cats on Leashes

Photo by myself on the Promenade, in Brooklyn Heights.

These cats were relaxing on a bench outside, near a busy walkway. Like the rest of us, they were enjoying the great weather Sunday afternoon.

As can be expected, the white one pretended not to notice me. His tabby friend sat safely tucked away in shadow.

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You would think that a house cat would be the last animal to be found on a leash.

You would think, because they are typically defensive creatures, who like to roam a defined territory, and they don't like to take orders. But I've seen more than a few cats on leashes in the city.

Related posts: Our Four-Legged Friends, Keeping Your Dogs In A Row, and Out Getting Some Air.

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The View From the Promenade

Photo by myself at the Brooklyn Promenade, in Brooklyn Heights.

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The view from the Brooklyn Promenade of Lower Manhattan is pretty neat-o.

Saturday it rained all day, and we were cooped up inside with the television, online scrabble and Cheetos (can you spell 'headache?').

On Sunday, Mark and I went into the city to celebrate his Mom's birthday. We lunched and walked around a little in Hell's Kitchen, which has undergone some major changes. There were new restaurants everywhere, making it look a lot like Chelsea, a colorful neighborhood 20 blocks south.

Later in the afternoon, we drove across the East River back to Brooklyn. Just about everyone was walking along the Promenade, enjoying the view and the amazing weather.

Related posts: Looking Out At Manhattan, Home Sweet New York and It's A Small World After All.

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Police Line, Do Not Cross

Photo by myself, in Columbus Circle last week.

One of the policemen shutting down the streets for the NFL concert. There were police dogs on short leashes brought in, too, though the crowd was rather tame.

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It used to be that there was more animosity toward the NYPD in the city.

In times of racial conflict, 'New York's finest' were a symbol of repression, and a reminder that the city wasn't so safe a place. After 9/11, people felt gratitude toward uniformed personnel (the firefighters, 'New York's bravest', were undoubtedly the heroes).

These days the feeling toward the police is indifferent. I see groups of police together in subway stations, sometimes carrying large weapons. I see them checking bags. I see them directing traffic or writing parking violations. I see them giving directions to visitors.

They are doing their jobs like the rest of us, keeping the city as orderly as possible.

Related posts: The Latest Urban Adventure, My First Run In With the NYPD, Code Yellow

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Celebrating Another Week

Photo by myself at Cafe Steinhof, an Austrian restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Mark and I love this place, which serves schnitzel, potato pancakes and sauerbrauten. It has a homey vibe with a long wood bar and special events, like movie night Sundays.

Oh, and did I mention the bar?

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I'm wondering whether I should post a bar scene every Friday.

It turns out I posted a similar photo in April. I'm not sure which one I prefer.

Mark and I don't frequent many bars. We've become homebodies who stick to a handful of very good, trusty restaurants. If only I were more young at heart and adventuresome!

Here's to the weekend.

Related posts: Chin Chin, Cheers and Reflections Apres Happy Hour.

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The Latest Urban Adventure

Photo by myself, around Broadway and 57th Street.

A concert kicking off the NFL season halted traffic around Columbus Circle Thursday afternoon. Roads were blocked off and crowds watched a raised stage and giant lcd screen.

Keith Urban, performed, among others. The concert was broadcast on television.

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I walked through crowds today as the NFL concert started. It was mild mayhem.

The city became a live studio audience, and streets were shut down. The police were everywhere. A coworker said she was stuck in a cab, racking up a $20 fare.

New York never struck me as a football kind of town, but I guess since the Giants won the Superbowl last year, a celebration was in order.

The footage in Columbus Circle must have been amazing, with the view of the Park and the Time Warner building, a looming glass tower by the architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

Thursday's concert reminds me of the All Star Parade that took place earlier this summer near Bryant Park for baseball fans. Thousands of New Yorkers encountered barricaded streets during lunchtime, me among them.

With all the shut-downs and Bloomberg's plans for pedestrian lanes, I'm wondering whether New York will become a completely pedestrian city? It seems we're headed that way.

Related posts: Mass Mentality, On a Public Mugging, Or A Gimmick Gone Wrong, A View From the Streets and On The Superbowl and Fancy Living

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Nice Set of Wheels

Photo by myself outside Macy's at Broadway and 34th Street.

I think the rule of thumb around here is that if it has wheels and has a place for advertising, it will be driven around. Here, a new fangled pedicab waits for passengers.

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Speaking of New York and vehicles, have you seen the new Grand Theft Auto 4?

You are 'Nico', a recent immigrant in 'Liberty City' that looks very similar to New York. You break into cars, steal them and attempt to complete missions, while trying to outwit the police.

All the boroughs are represented - 'Algonquin' is Manhattan, 'Broker' is 'Brooklyn', and 'Bohan' is the Bronx. The street layout, buildings and traffic patterns are relate to real life.

The buildings and cityscape are pretty amazing, including the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan and New Jersey. Mark just received this game from ebay and he's completely and utterly addicted.

Here's the preview video:


Related posts: Those Pesky Resolutions and Driving in Super Mario Land.

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It's The Unofficial End of Summer

Photo by myself of a sandwich board outside a liquor store in Brooklyn.

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They say Labor Day is the last unofficial day of summer.

It makes sense - Labor Day marks the beginning of the school year. Mark and I were wandering around the NYU area last week, and we ran into crowds of returning students flooding the sidewalks.

For those who celebrated Labor Day and had to get back to work, was Tuesday tough or what?!

Pour me a drink!

Related posts: Step Lively, Reflections Apres Happy Hour and Life's Seedy Underbelly

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Fuerzabruta, Now Thrilling Union Square

Photo by myself at a Fuerzabruta show in Union Square.

This performance group has had an extended run in Union Square. I'd say it's an edgier relative of Cirque du Soleil.

The show is original, romantic, interactive and unexpected. The crowd moves around as music blares, papers fly and performers do the wildest things.

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I'm usually a hard sell in terms of venues, but I was pretty wowed when we saw a Fuerzabruta show last week.

I don't want to give much away, except that there's loud percussive music, and wind machines, and actors swimming in mid-air.

Mark is tough to please, but all throughout the show, he was saying, 'Wow, that's cool' and 'Wow...!'

Tickets are $75 and performances run all week, except Mondays. I'm sure this group will be in town for a while, but I would go sooner rather than later. You can see many more snippets of the show on the Fuerzabruta website.


(Above, audience members in the foreground, the actor in the spotlight).





Related posts: Artsy Fartsy, At The Brooklyn Museum - The Dizzying World of Murakami and East (Side) Versus West (Side).

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CDP Theme Day - Sister Cities

Photo by Zsolt, of the Daily Photo blog Budapest Daily Photo.

Nope, this isn't a bridge in New York. It's actually a scene from Budapest.

The monthly Theme Day among the daily photo blogs this month is 'Sister Cities'. Blogs were encouraged to post a photo of their sister city, by either visiting the other city or swapping photos with another Daily Photo site.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

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Zsolt, of Budapest Daily Photo, took the above photo of the gorgeously festooned Chain Bridge, a well-known suspension bridge in Budapest.

Budapest is one of New York's several sister cities (our other sister cities include Tokyo, Beijing, Cairo, Madrid, Rome, Jerusalem and Johannesburg). Zsolt had suggested to swap photos of bridges, so I sent him a photo of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Our photos are remarkably similar. Though my photograph was taken in the morning and Zsolt's at night, both images are focused on one of the bridges' piers, and both show a part of the city beyond.

I have yet to visit Budapest, and hope to someday. I imagine a cosmopolitan city of great culture, history and people.

Related posts: CDP Theme Day - Metal.

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